The Bulldogs honored baseball seniors (from left) Dean Howard, Levi Bones, Avery Wells and Jaxson Wilkerson before the start of last week’s senior night home game against Santiam Christian. Gini Davis/The Creswell Chronicle
The final chance for a league victory this season slipped through the Bulldogs’ fingers May 13 with a 5-2 loss at Harrisburg. The Dawgs’ season ended with an 8-1 loss to Santiam Christian on senior night May 17.
”With four top-five teams, we were going up against the best teams in state every day,” noted head coach Tyler Main. ”We were doing everything we could to try and get a ‘W’ but were just not quite there yet.”
Before the Santiam Christian game, Creswell honored four seniors: Dean Howard, Levi Bones, Avery Wells and Jaxson Wilkerson. Their families congratulated them with balloons, favorite snacks and more as the seniors’ letters of appreciation and favorite baseball memories were read aloud.
Howard pitched the first 5 1/3 innings, giving up six runs (two earned) on eight hits, striking out nine, walking four and hitting one.
”Dean pitched pretty good,” Main said. ”He went as far as he could on the pitch count, but our defense didn’t really help him out: there were a couple of dropped fly balls that scored a couple of kids.”
Dawson Sharkey faced two batters in relief, giving up one hit and hitting two.
Gio Mediati pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, giving up one hit and striking out one.
Wells went 3-for-4 from the plate; Howard went 2-for-3 and scored; Dallton Dewey went 1-for-2 with an RBI; and Mediati, Bones and Sharkey each went 1-for-3.
”We just got beat by a better team,” Main said. ”We gave up three earned runs and some errors hurt us.”
At Harrisburg, Mediati opened on the mound, giving up three runs on six hits, striking out three, walking one and hitting one.
”Gio’s going to be a good pitcher for us going forward; he’s very consistent,” Main said of the freshman, who was second only to Howard in innings pitched this season. ”He doesn’t blow it by anybody; he pitches for contact, but he doesn’t walk or hit very many. I’m looking forward to having him the next three years.”
Howard pitched the final two innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits, striking out four and walking three.
Creswell recorded eight hits. ”It was probably the best game hitting we’d had all year – and it was off their No. 1 pitcher, Dax Bennett,” Main said. ”Most of our hits were just not with runners in scoring position.”
Howard led the offense, going 3-for-3 with a triple and an RBI. Sharkey went 2-for-3 and scored; Wells went 1-for-4 and scored; and Bones and Mediati each went 1-for-3.
”We played pretty good; a couple of hits made the difference in that game,” Main said.
Reflecting on the season, Main said he’d thought the Dawgs ”would do a little bit better,” but that with only four seniors, the squad is still young.
”It was the little things that hurt us; once we learn to cut down on those, we should start winning more games,” Main said. ”I have faith in our younger kids learning from this year, using it as a good stepping stone going into summer ball and being stronger next season.”
Top-ranked Pleasant Hill, third-ranked Santiam Christian and fourth-ranked La Pine will represent the Mountain Valley Conference at state.